South African forward Jaisen Clifford has revealed why he feels Europe must be worth it after his frozen move to Turkey.
Clifford played for SuperSport United's reserve team before leaving for Malta, Lithuania, Portugal, and Armenia but is now back home after he couldn't seal his move to Turkish second tier league club Boluspor.
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"I was most recently at Boluspor, the club that Dino Ndlovu plays for, but they had already exhausted their foreign quota and so wanted me to go out on loan for six months or train with them and then renegotiate the contract in June," Clifford tells KickOff.com.
"This is what they said to me but then I wasn't so keen on something that would take me up and down.
"When the European club doesn't have space for a foreign player, they are not willing to spend too much so it wasn't worth it at all.
"With my wife expecting back home I had to make considerations about coming back home and then find something this side.
"For now, there are some options available in Europe in Georgia, Moldova, and Turkey me but I'm keen on pursuing the PSL route now.
"I want to settle down and have something long term instead of having to be moving up and down.
"I most recently played in Armenia after which the option of Turkey came up.
"But then it is true that Europe must be worth it because I have bills to pay and a family to look after.
"In the leagues that I have been to, they pay between USD2500 (approx. R44 700) to USD4000 (approx. R71 500) then give you accommodation and food but the discomfort of being away from home counts especially when you can have the same salary back home.
"I started out in Malta when I was still a teenager and have been playing in Europe for a while now.
"Malta came up after I left SuperSport just as I was about to join Wits.
"One of my friends' dad knew someone who is friends with the president of one club and they wanted three or four South African players to come so I was like this the EU and off Italy so there is no harm.
"The reason why I left SuperSport was because after we went to play a youth tournament in France there was interest from Bordeaux, but the move was block.
"I was upset about that and so then wanted another window of opportunity to go back to Europe because this was my dream.
"So, after completing my matric I told SuperSport that I'm not going to stay and left for Malta.
"One guy from Spain then saw me in Malta and I then left for Lithuania where I was coached by Mariano Barreto whose job was to groom and sell players.
"We qualified for Europa League, but the club couldn't keep itself running and sold the status which is why I then ended up moving to Portugal.
"With the club in Armenia, I was recruited by a coach who I worked with previously.
"Even with the time that I spent at Cape Town All Stars I wasn't even meant to be there but only joined then after I couldn't get back to Portugal sorting out my visa due to covid related issues.
"South Africa was red listed everywhere so I couldn't go back to my club.
"That is why I played for All Stars and then left for Armenia," says Clifford.
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